Tactical Meal Management Backpack

ABSTRACT

A tactical management backpack having: a backpack body having: an insulated pocket nested within the backpack body, the insulated pocket having: a plurality of perimeter walls; an outer wall attached to one of the perimeter walls; an engagement surface attached to a corresponding perimeter wall; a mesh pocket secured to the outer wall; a securing band configured to engage with the engagement surface; an insulative layer surrounding the insulated pocket; and a drink pocket attached to the backpack body, the drink pocket having a tension cord configured to secure a drink receptacle within the drink pocket. The tactical management backpack may securely hold food items within the insulated pocket alongside a temperature moderation device to maintain the food&#39;s temperature for longer, thus preserving the food items. The provided drink pockets allow for drinks to be held alongside the food items, thus providing secure storage for both food and drinks.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to portable storage receptacles and specifically to backpacks configured to store and preserve foods and/or other materials while simultaneously holding drinks.

2. Description of the Related Art

Receptacles designed for portable food storage may provide a variety of features that allow for food (or other materials) to be transported while simultaneously maintain its temperature/preserving it. For example, receptacles such as cooler bags may provide a portable receptacle capable of preserving a food product at a suitable storage temperature for longer than a conventional receptacle. However, currently utilized food preservation receptacles lack the necessary structures to suitably preserve food at the necessary temperature while keeping said food securely in place. Additionally existing receptacle may not be capable of simultaneously holding drinks securely and allowing for said receptacle to be carried without using an individual's hands.

Therefore, there is a need to solve the problems described above by providing a device and method for securely storing food and drink while preserving the food in a highly portable form factor.

The aspects or the problems and the associated solutions presented in this section could be or could have been pursued; they are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches presented in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their presence in this section of the application.

BRIEF INVENTION SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In an aspect, a tactical management backpack is provided, the tactical management backpack comprising: a backpack body having: an insulated pocket nested within the backpack body, the insulated pocket having: a plurality of perimeter walls; an outer wall configured to be selectively engaged with each perimeter wall to close the insulated pocket; at least two engagement surfaces, each engagement surface being attached to a corresponding perimeter wall; a mesh pocket secured to the outer wall, the mesh pocket being configured to hold a temperature moderation device; a securing band configured to engage with at least one engagement surface within the insulated pocket; an insulative layer surrounding the insulated pocket; and a drink pocket attached to the backpack body, the drink pocket having: a container slot configured to surround a lower portion of a drink receptacle; a tension cord housing disposed above the container slot, the tension cord housing being configured to surround an upper portion of the drink receptacle; and a tension cord partially nested within the tension cord housing, the tension cord being configured to selectively constrict the tension cord housing around the upper portion of the drink receptacle to secure the drink receptacle within the drink pocket. Thus, an advantage is food or other materials may be stored within the insulated pocket and maintained at a higher or lower temperature for longer than would be possible with a standard container. Another advantage is that containers may be held securely within the insulated pocket though the utilization of securing band to restrict container movement. Another advantage is that the positioning of the securing band may be adjusted to allow it to secure containers of varying sizes and quantities within the insulated pocket. Another advantage is that provided insulated pocket and the drink pocket allow for food and drink to be stored within the disclosed tactical management backpack simultaneously.

In another aspect, a tactical management backpack is provided, the tactical management backpack comprising: a backpack body having: an insulated pocket nested within the backpack body, the insulated pocket having: a plurality of perimeter walls; an outer wall attached to one of the plurality of perimeter walls; an engagement surface attached to a corresponding perimeter wall; a mesh pocket secured to the outer wall; a securing band configured to engage with the engagement surface; an insulative layer surrounding the insulated pocket; and a drink pocket attached to the backpack body, the drink pocket having a tension cord configured to secure a drink receptacle within the drink pocket. Thus, an advantage is food or other materials may be stored within the insulated pocket and maintained at a higher or lower temperature for longer than would be possible with a standard container. Another advantage is that containers may be held securely within the insulated pocket though the utilization of securing band to restrict container movement. Another advantage is that the positioning of the securing band may be adjusted to allow it to secure containers of varying sizes and quantities within the insulated pocket. Another advantage is that provided insulated pocket and the drink pocket allow for food and drink to be stored within the disclosed tactical management backpack simultaneously.

The above aspects or examples and advantages, as well as other aspects or examples and advantages, will become apparent from the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For exemplification purposes, and not for limitation purposes, aspects, embodiments or examples of the invention are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack in the closed state, according to an aspect.

FIG. 2 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack having an insulated pocket in the open state, according to an aspect.

FIG. 3 illustrates the side perspective view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack in the closed state, according to an aspect.

FIG. 4 illustrates the top perspective view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack having the insulated pocket and the center pocket in the open state, according to an aspect.

FIG. 5 illustrates the side view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack having the insulated pocket and the center pocket in the open state, according to an aspect, according to an aspect.

FIG. 6 illustrates the back view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack, according to an aspect.

FIG. 7 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack holding a food storage container, according to an aspect.

FIG. 8 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack having a securing band disposed within the insulated pocket, according to an aspect.

FIG. 9 illustrates the top view of the mesh pocket of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack, according to an aspect.

FIG. 10 illustrates the top view of the open back pocket of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack, according to an aspect.

FIG. 11 illustrates the top view of the open center pocket of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack, according to an aspect.

FIG. 12 illustrates the top view of the inside of the center pocket, according to an aspect.

FIG. 13 illustrates the top perspective view of a laptop being stored within the open back compartment of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack, according to an aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

What follows is a description of various aspects, embodiments and/or examples in which the invention may be practiced. Reference will be made to the attached drawings, and the information included in the drawings is part of this detailed description. The aspects, embodiments and/or examples described herein are presented for exemplification purposes, and not for limitation purposes. It should be understood that structural and/or logical modifications could be made by someone of ordinary skills in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims and their equivalents.

It should be understood that, for clarity of the drawings and of the specification, some or all details about some structural components or steps that are known in the art are not shown or described if they are not necessary for the invention to be understood by one of ordinary skills in the art.

For the following description, it can be assumed that most correspondingly labeled elements across the figures (e.g., 101 and 201, etc.) possess the same characteristics and are subject to the same structure and function. If there is a difference between correspondingly labeled elements that is not pointed out, and this difference results in a non-corresponding structure or function of an element for a particular embodiment, example or aspect, then the conflicting description given for that particular embodiment, example or aspect shall govern.

FIG. 1 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 100 in the closed state, according to an aspect. The disclosed tactical meal management backpack (“meal management backpack”, “tactical management backpack”, “backpack”) 100 may utilize a plurality of different pockets and receptacles in order to facilitate secure positioning and suitable conditions for each food and drink item it secures. The backpack 100 itself may be comprised of a backpack body 100 a having a plurality of pockets nested within it, and a plurality of straps, external pockets, etc. attached to it. For example, a handling strap 109 may be secured to a top side of the backpack body 100 a to allow for easy movement of the tactical meal management backpack 100 without the use of back straps.

In order to securely hold a drink receptacle 103 and maintain it in an upright position, the meal management backpack 100 may have at least one drink pocket 102. Each drink pocket 102 may have a tension cord 102 a configured to surround an upper portion of the drink pocket 102, such that the tension cord 102 a may be tightened while a drink receptacle 103 is held within a drink pocket 102, thus securing the drink receptacle 103 within the drink pocket 102, as can be seen in FIG. 1 . A drink pocket may be positioned one each lateral side 100 b of the backpack body 100 a, such that superior balance may be achieved while carrying multiple drink receptacles 103, while still allowing said drink receptacles 103 to be rapidly accessed by a user wearing the meal management backpack 100.

The drink pocket 102 may be comprised of several main components, a container slot 102 c configured to surround and house a lower portion of the drink receptacle 103, a tension cord housing 102 b disposed above the container slot 102 c and configured to surround an upper portion of the drink receptacle 103, and a tension cord partially housed or nested within the tension cord housing 102 b. In order to secure a drink receptacle 103 within the drink pocket 102, the drink receptacle 103 may be inserted into the container slot 102 c. Next, the tension cord 102 a housed within the tension cord 102 a housing may be adjusted to constrict the tension cord housing 102 b around an upper portion of the drink receptacle 103. The container slot 102 c may be used to surround the majority (or a sufficiently large portion) of the drink receptacle 103, such that when the upper portion of the drink receptacle is constricted by the tightening of tension cord 102 a within the tension cord housing 102 b, that the drink receptacle 103 may remain securely within the drink pocket 102 until the tension cord 102 a is loosened.

The container slot 102 c may be made of a mesh material such that the amount of drink remaining in a held drink receptacle 103 is visible, even when stored. The tension cord housing 102 b may be made out a material comparable to that of the backpack body 100 a, such as canvas. The tension cord 102 a may be made of a rigid or suitably elastic material, such that the tension cord 102 a may be tightly constricted around the drink receptacle 103 to keep it in place.

An insulated pocket 101 may be nested within the front side 100 c of the backpack body 100 a. This insulated pocket 101 may be selectively opened and closed through manipulation of an insulated pocket zipper 101 e secured to the insulated pocket 101. This insulated pocket 101 may be surrounded by an insulative liner (“liner”), such as EPE (“expanded polyethylene”) cooler liner 701 a of FIG. 7 . Through the utilization of the insulative liner, the disclosed insulated pocket 101 may be configured to maintain the temperature of a food or drink product stored within the insulated pocket 101 for extended periods of time, as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. The size of the insulated pocket 101 may be optimized, such that the pocket is large enough to hold the required volume of items, while having a minimized surface area to minimize heat transfer between the inside of the insulated pocket 101 and the external environment/adjacent pockets.

A front pocket 104 may also be nested within the front side 100 c of the backpack body, but above the insulated pocket 101. This front pocket 104, and the remaining pockets described below, may not utilize any specialty insulation, but still may be utilized to store food, drinks and other materials that do not require temperature moderation. The height of the insulated pocket 101 and the front pocket 104 combined may be roughly the same as the heights of the center pocket 105 and the back pockets 106, which will be described in hereinbelow. The front pocket 104 may also utilize a corresponding front pocket zipper in order to selectively open and close the front pocket 104. It should be understood that each pocket described herein, may utilize a corresponding zipper in order to be selectively opened and closed to secure held items within the corresponding pocket and prevent loss/droppage of said items. For example, the back pocket may be selectively opened using an attached back pocket zipper 106 b configured to open and close the back pocket 106.

A center pocket 105 may be nested within the backpack body 100 a between the front pocket 104 and the back pocket 106. As will be described in greater detail hereinbelow, the insulative liner of the insulated pocket 101 may selectively protrude into the space defined by the center pocket 105, in order to provide the room needed to properly store items within the adjacent insulated pocket 101.

The back pocket 106 may be nested within the backpack body 100 a on a back side 100 d of the backpack body 100 a. This back pocket may be comparable in size to the center pocket 105, but may not have a portion of the insulated pocket 101 protruding into it. This back pocket may include additional internal pockets or sleeves, such as a back pocket sleeve nested within the back pocket 106, to hold additional items securely within the backpack body 100 a. The pockets of the meal management backpack 100 will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. It should be understood that the disclosed backpack 100 may not be restricted to only handling food and may hold any materials suitable for transport by backpack. Such materials may also utilize the insulated pockets, if moderation of their temperature is necessary or desirable.

FIG. 2 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 200 having an insulated pocket 201 in the open state, according to an aspect. As described above, the insulated pocket 201 may be utilized to hold items, such as food containers, within an insulative liner, such that when closed, the insulated pocket 201 may help to maintain the temperature of the item. In FIG. 2 , the insulated pocket is holding three containers 207. Each food container may be used to hold food, drink, or another items that requires temperature moderation and a secured positioning/orientation. As will be described in FIGS. 7-9 , the insulated pocket may have several features which allow it to securely hold containers in place, to prevent their movement during travel.

FIG. 3 illustrates the side perspective view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 300 in the closed state, according to an aspect. In order to ensure that the tactical meal management backpack 300 remains together and secure during usage, the front side 300 c and back side 300 d of the backpack body 300 a may be secured to each other by securing straps 308 a, 308 b. As seen in FIG. 3 , these securing straps may include an upper strap 308 a and a lower strap 308 b that work in conjunction with the zippers of each pocket to keep the backpack body 300 a closed and together. Each strap 308 a, 308 b may comprise of back segment attached to the back side 300 d, a front segment attached to the front side 300 c, and a joining buckle configured to selectively adjoin the corresponding front segment and back segment.

FIG. 4 illustrates the top perspective view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 400 having the insulated pocket 401 and the center pocket 405 in the open state, according to an aspect. From the top perspective view of FIG. 4 , it can be seen that the containers 407 stored within the insulated pocket 401 cause the insulated pocket to protrude into the space normally provided within the center pocket 405. This feature allows for larger containers 407 to be easily stored within the insulated pocket 401, while allowing said container 407 to remain sealed within the insulative liner. It should be understood that this feature of an expandable insulated pocket 401 may not be necessary in all embodiments, and may only be needed when the storage of larger or greater quantities/volumes of containers in the insulated pocket 401 is necessary. The insulative liner of the insulated pocket 401 may act as the dividing wall between the inside of the insulated pocket 401 and the inside of the center pocket 405. As described previously, the center pocket 405 may be selective sealed through the utilization the attached center pocket zipper 405 a.

FIG. 5 illustrates the side view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 500 having the insulated pocket 501 and the center pocket 504 in the open state, according to an aspect, according to an aspect. The protrusion of the containers 507 stored within the insulated pocket 501 into the space used by the center pocket 505 may also be seen from the side perspective view of FIG. 5 . Additionally, backpack straps 510 attached to the back side 500 d of the backpack body may also be seen, which may provide additional handling means to supplement or replace the prior disclosed handling strap 509

FIG. 6 illustrates the back view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 600, according to an aspect. As disclosed hereinabove, the meal management backpack 600 may have two different types of handling device depending on the application of said backpack 600. The handling strap 609 may be disposed on a top portion of the meal management backpack 600, such that the backpack 600 may be handled easily with one hand and accessed readily while holding it. The backpack straps 610 may be attached to the back side 600 d of the backpack and may allow a user to wear the backpack 600 on their back for long term storage while keeping their hand free.

A third strap in the form of a back strap 608 c may be attached to the backpack body 600 a, such that a user may wrap the back strap 608 c around their body while wearing the backpack 600 on their back, to secure the backpack to themself. This back strap 608 c may extend from one lateral side 600 b-1 to the other lateral side 600 b-2, wrapping around the back side 600 d of the backpack body 600 a. A user may utilize this back strap to ensure the meal management backpack 600 remains secured to themselves during travel. The back strap may be comprised of similar elements to the prior disclosed straps of FIG. 3 , having a segment attached to each corresponding side, and a buckle configured to selectively adjoin the two segments. Cushioning pads 613 may be attached to the back side 600 d of the backpack 600 in order to ensure the backpack 600 rests comfortably on a user's back during transit.

FIG. 7 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack holding a food storage container 707, according to an aspect. The insulated pocket 701 may be provided with several features to facilitate the secure handling of containers 707 containing food, drink and other materials of interest. A plurality of engagement surfaces 715 may be secured within the insulated pocket 701 in order to provide the necessary infrastructure for an adjustable confinement apparatus for restricting containing 707 movement. An engagement surface 715 may be secured to each applicable perimeter wall 701 b of the insulated pocket, to allow for suitable positioning of a securing band 714. A hook-loop fastener connector system may be utilized within the insulated pocket 701 to provide a mechanism for securing the containers within the insulated pocket 701. One possible type of engagement surface 715 is a loop fastener strip (“loop strip”). Loop fastener strips may have loop-based fasteners which are secured to each perimeter wall 701 b of the insulated pocket 701 such that a securing band 714 having compatible hook-based fasteners may be selectively attached to each applicable loop strip, such that the securing band 714 extends between corresponding perimeter walls 701 b. In doing so, the securing band 714 may be used to secure and surround a portion of a container 707, as shown in FIG. 7 , securing said container 707 within the insulated pocket 701.

The securing band 714 may be made of an elastic material to allow for the securing band 714 to elastically conform around the shape of a container 707 to hold it in place within the insulated pocket. As seen in FIGS. 7-8 , the perimeter walls 701 b, 801 b may include each of the walls of the insulated pocket that engage directly with the outer wall 801 d of the insulated pocket 701, 801 when the insulated pocket 701, 801 is closed, including the top wall 801 b-1, bottom wall 801 b-2, as well as the left wall 801 b-3 and the right wall 801 b-4. In an embodiment, both opposing sides 714 a a securing band 714 may be attached to a singular engagement surface 715 such that a container may be secured between the corresponding perimeter wall 701 b and the securing band 714.

As disclosed previously, the insulated pocket 701 may have an insulative liner 701 a that is configured to surround the cavity formed within the insulated pocket 701. This insulative liner 701 a may be an EPE cooler liner configured to allow the contents within the insulated pocket 701 a to maintain their temperature for longer. The insulative liner 701 a slows heat transfer between the inside of the insulated pocket 701 and the external environment 716. For example, a cold food product stored within the insulated pocket 701 may be kept at a cooler temperature for longer by securing it within the insulated pocket 701, due to the presence of the insulative liner 701 a.

The temperature of the insulated pocket 701 may be further maintained by storing a temperature moderation device (not shown), such as a hot pack, cold pack, or ice pack, within the insulated pocket 701 alongside the containers 707. A mesh pocket 711 may be provided within the insulated pocket 701 to store the temperature moderation device to help keep the insulated pocket 701 organized. This mesh pocket may be attached to an outer wall 701 d to make accessing the temperature moderation device straightforward. This may also allow the temperature moderation device to be accessed easily allowing for its replacement as needed while not disturbing the secured containers 707.

FIG. 8 illustrates the front view of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack having a securing band 814 disposed within the insulated pocket 801, according to an aspect. As disclosed hereinabove, the securing band 814 may have hook-based fasteners (or loop based fasteners) configured to engage with each engagement surface 815 (or hook strips, accordingly) within the insulated pocket 801. The positioning of this securing band 814 may be suitably adjusted by securing its hook-based fasteners to the appropriate portions of the corresponding loop strips, to achieve the necessary shape and volume to confine a held container. The securing band 814 may be placed at a lower elevation within the insulated pocket 801, as seen by securing band 714 of FIG. 7 , in order to secure a shorter singular container 707 in place. Alternatively, the securing band may be placed at a higher elevation within the insulated pocket, as seen by securing band 814 of FIG. 8 , in order to secure a taller singular container, or multiple stacked shorter containers in place.

The hereinabove described configurations should be understood to simply be potential embodiments of the disclosed meal management backpack, as additional variations may also be implemented while remaining within the scope of the disclosed backpack. For example, additional securing bands 814, additional and/or alternatively positioned loop strips/engagement surface 815 and other features relevant to the secure handling of containers may also be implemented depending on the application of the backpack.

Each securing band 814 may have two opposing sides 814 a, each opposing side 814 a being configured to engage with a corresponding engagement surface 815, such as a loop strip. The aforenoted hook type fasteners, or another fastener type that is configured to engage with the corresponding engagement surface 815, may be disposed on said opposing sides 814 a of the securing band 814, allowing the securing band 814 to be secured to the engagement strips on perimeter walls 801 b within insulted pocket 801 to facilitate the secure holding of containers within the insulated pocket 801. As stated hereinabove, the perimeter walls may include the top wall 801 b-1, bottom wall 801 b-2, as well as the left wall 801 b-3 and the right wall 801 b-4 of the insulated pocket 801. While the provided figures may only depict the securing band 814 engaging with the engagement surfaces 815 on left wall 801 b-3 and the right wall 801 b-4, thus resulting in a horizontally oriented securing band 814, it should be understood that engagement surfaces 815 may also be provided on the top wall 801 b-1 and the bottom wall 801 b-2 to facilitate a vertical orientation of the securing band 814 as needed.

While each engagement surface 815, such as the loop strips, may be secured to a perimeter wall 801 b of the insulated pocket 801, the mesh pocket 811 may be secured directly to an outer wall 801 d of the insulated pocket 801. This outer wall 801 d of the of the insulated pocket may be disposed between the mesh pocket 811 and the external environment 816. It should be understood that outer wall 801 d is configured to be selectively engaged with each perimeter wall 801 b in order to close the insulated pocket, such as through the utilization of an insulated pocket zipper.

FIG. 9 illustrates the top view of the mesh pocket 911 of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack, according to an aspect. As disclosed hereinabove, the mesh pocket 911 may be utilized to store a temperature moderation device to allow said device to maintain the temperature of food, drinks, etc. stored within the insulated pocket 901. The mesh pocket 911 may include a mesh pocket zipper 911 a configured to allow the mesh pocket to be selectively closed, thus preventing a stored temperature moderation device from escaping out of the mesh pocket 911 during use. The mesh pocket 911 may also be utilized for additional storage, if a temperature moderation device is not needed, or if additional room in the mesh pocket 911 is available.

FIG. 10 illustrates the top view of the open back pocket 1006 of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 1000, according to an aspect It should be understood that the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 1000 may be used for both the storage of food and non-food materials. As such, food and non-food items may be stored within the backpack 1000 simultaneously. The back pocket 1006 may be used to store non-food items, including electronics, such as laptops 1012, cell phones, etc. This back pocket 1006 may include a back pocket sleeve 1006 a nested or otherwise disposed within the back pocket 1006, said back pocket sleeve 1006 a being configured to securely hold a laptop or other object within the back pocket 1006 to prevent the laptop/other object from shifting within the back pocket 1006 during transit. Other electronic sleeves and compartments may also be provided, such as cell phone compartments (not shown) to allow for safe storage and easy access to each store object.

The positioning of electronics and other objects in the back pocket 1006 may help to distance it from the temperature maintained within the insulated pocket. For example, if the insulated pocket is kept at a higher temperature, it may be desirable to avoid putting electronics in direct contact with or close proximity to the insulated pocket. By storing electronics in the back pocket 1006 and temperature moderated items, such as foods, within the insulate pocket, the center pocket may be used as a buffer between the temperature moderated items and electronic items.

FIG. 11 illustrates the top view of the open center pocket 1105 of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 1100, according to an aspect. As disclosed hereinabove, the insulated pocket 1101 may be configured such that it extends somewhat into the space defined by the center pocket 1105, while still being insulated and remaining separated from the center pocket 1105. Thus, the insulated pocket 1101 may protrude into the center pocket 1105, as seen by the protrusion of the insulated pocket 1101 within the center pocket 1105. A center pocket sleeve 1105 b may be nested within the center pocket 1105 in order to allow for the secure storage of smaller objects within the center pocket without allowing them to travel freely within the center pocket 1105

The non-insulative materials used for the backpack body may include canvas, nylon and other suitably durable backpack materials known in the field, whereas each zipper may be made of steel, aluminum, plastic and or another suitably strong material. The insulative layer and may be made of a suitably efficient insulating material, such as the prior disclosed EPE material, or other sufficiently flexible insulative materials.

FIG. 12 illustrates the top view of the inside of the center pocket 1205, according to an aspect. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 12 , the insulated pocket 1201 may bulge into the center pocket 1205 to allow for larger containers to be stored within the insulated pocket 1201 without significantly increasing the overall depth of the meal management backpack. Again, the center pocket sleeve 1205 b may be used to securely store objects within center pocket 1205 while further restricting their movement to a smaller area within the center pocket 1205

FIG. 13 illustrates the top perspective view of a laptop 1312 being stored within the open back compartment of the disclosed tactical meal management backpack 1300, according to an aspect. The disclosed meal management backpack 1300 may utilize a plurality of pockets to store a variety of different materials within said backpack 1300, while allowing for the materials to be easily transported by simply carrying/wearing the backpack 1300. An insulated pocket, such as insulated pocket 101 of FIG. 1 , may have an insulative liner, such as insulative line 701 a of FIG. 7 , configured to allow materials held within the insulated pocket to be maintained at a desired temperature for extended periods of time. A front pocket 1304 and a center pocket 1305 may be positioned adjacently to the insulate pocket, and may also be configured to hold materials, such as food, albeit without providing superior maintenance of their temperature. The back pocket 1306 may be sufficiently distant from the insulated pocket, as to not be influenced or impacted by its temperature, and thus may be well suited for the storage of electronics, such as laptops 1312.

As described previously, each pocket may have a corresponding zipper to allow for its selective opening, wherein the front pocket 1304 has a front pocket zipper 1304 a, the center pocket 1305 has a center pocket zipper 1305 a, the insulated pocket has an insulated pocket zipper, such as insulated pocket zipper 101 c of FIG. 1 and the back pocket has a back pocket zipper, such as back pocket zipper 106 b of FIG. 1 .

The combination of the features of the tactical meal management backpack disclosed herein provides an overall meal management solution capable of providing easy access storage of drinks though the utilization of drink pockets, such as drink pockets 102 of FIG. 1 , and an insulated storage pocket capable of preserving food at a desired temperature for later consumptions, while simultaneously allowing for the storage of additional materials separately from the disclosed insulated storage compartments, all in an portable carrying receptacle.

It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like.

Further, as used in this application, “plurality” means two or more. A “set” of items may include one or more of such items. Whether in the written description or the claims, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims.

If present, use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. These terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. As used in this application, “and/or” means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.

Throughout this description, the aspects, embodiments or examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus or procedures disclosed or claimed. Although some of the examples may involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives.

Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one aspect, embodiment or example are not intended to be excluded from a similar role(s) in other aspects, embodiments or examples.

Aspects, embodiments or examples of the invention may be described as processes, which are usually depicted using a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may depict the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. With regard to flowcharts, it should be understood that additional and fewer steps may be taken, and the steps as shown may be combined or further refined to achieve the described methods.

If means-plus-function limitations are recited in the claims, the means are not intended to be limited to the means disclosed in this application for performing the recited function, but are intended to cover in scope any equivalent means, known now or later developed, for performing the recited function.

Claim limitations should be construed as means-plus-function limitations only if the claim recites the term “means” in association with a recited function.

If any presented, the claims directed to a method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Although aspects, embodiments and/or examples have been illustrated and described herein, someone of ordinary skills in the art will easily detect alternate of the same and/or equivalent variations, which may be capable of achieving the same results, and which may be substituted for the aspects, embodiments and/or examples illustrated and described herein, without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of this application is intended to cover such alternate aspects, embodiments and/or examples. Hence, the scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims and their equivalents. Further, each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A tactical management backpack comprising: a backpack body having: an insulated pocket nested within the backpack body, the insulated pocket having: a plurality of perimeter walls; an outer wall configured to be selectively engaged with each perimeter wall to close the insulated pocket; at least two engagement surfaces, each engagement surface being attached to a corresponding perimeter wall; a mesh pocket secured to the outer wall, the mesh pocket being configured to hold a temperature moderation device; a securing band configured to engage with at least one engagement surface within the insulated pocket; an insulative layer surrounding the insulated pocket; and a drink pocket attached to the backpack body, the drink pocket having: a container slot configured to surround a lower portion of a drink receptacle; a tension cord housing disposed above the container slot, the tension cord housing being configured to surround an upper portion of the drink receptacle; and a tension cord partially nested within the tension cord housing, the tension cord being configured to selectively constrict the tension cord housing around the upper portion of the drink receptacle to secure the drink receptacle within the drink pocket.
 2. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, wherein the temperature moderation device is an ice pack.
 3. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, wherein each engagement surface is a loop fastener strip configured to engage with hook fasteners disposed on opposing sides of the securing band.
 4. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, further comprising a second drink pocket secured to the backpack body, wherein each drink pocket is secured to a different lateral side of the backpack body
 5. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, further comprising a back pocket nested within a back side of the backpack body.
 6. The tactical management backpack of claim 5, further comprising a back pocket sleeve nested within the back pocket.
 7. The tactical management backpack of claim 5, further comprising a center pocket nested within the backpack body between the insulated pocket and the back pocket.
 8. The tactical management backpack of claim 7, further comprising a center pocket sleeve nested within the center pocket.
 9. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, wherein the insulated pocket is nested within a front side of the backpack body.
 10. The tactical management backpack of claim 9, further comprising a front pocket nested within the front side of the backpack body above the insulated pocket.
 11. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, wherein upon engagement of the securing band with the two engagement surfaces, the securing band is configured to secure a container within the insulated pocket.
 12. The tactical management backpack of claim 1, further comprising a pair of backpack straps secured to a back end of the backpack body.
 13. A tactical management backpack comprising: A backpack body having: An insulated pocket nested within the backpack body, the insulated pocket having: a plurality of perimeter walls; an outer wall attached to one of the plurality of perimeter walls; an engagement surface attached to a corresponding perimeter wall; a mesh pocket secured to the outer wall; a securing band configured to engage with the engagement surface; an insulative layer surrounding the insulated pocket; and a drink pocket attached to the backpack body, the drink pocket having a tension cord configured to secure a drink receptacle within the drink pocket.
 14. The tactical management backpack of claim 13, wherein the insulated pocket is nested within a front side of the backpack body.
 15. The tactical management backpack of claim 14, further comprising a back pocket nested within a back side of the backpack body.
 16. The tactical management backpack of claim 15, further comprising a center pocket nested within the backpack body between the insulated pocket and the back pocket.
 17. The tactical management backpack of claim 16, further comprising a front pocket nested within the front side of the backpack body above the insulated pocket. 